Don't Cry Daddy
by Fireena
Summary: Winry has died and Edward feels he must be strong for his two young children by hiding his pain, but when they find him outside crying, will they be able to find consolation in each other? Inspired by Elvis Presley's Don't Cry Daddy. Oneshot.


**Listening to my ipod in the dead of night and I come across this little song that gets my tired brain thinking, "hey, I could make a oneshot based on this song" so of course, what do I do? I set the song on repeat (To keep my mind in the mood) and my fingers start going tippity tap on my ipod screen, and thus, this fic was born.**

**Tis based on the Elvis Presley song of the same name, I suggest you listen to it while reading, it brings it to another level. Course its not mandantory, just a thought.**

**I actually cried writing this, and then again when I reread it.**

Chapter 1

Edward sat at the table staring into his coffee cup. He had been staring into it's depths for at least a few hours now, seeing as it had been sunset when he poured the cup and now it was pitch black outside. Al had left a while ago, had his own family to take care of. Edward dimly remembered telling him to leave, insisting he was alright but he wasn't sure.

A tear fell into his coffee and he watched the liquid ripple out. The only reason why Al had been there for so long and hadn't wanted to leave, the reason why he couldn't remember anything clearly, the reason why he'd been sitting here for so long, was his automail mechanic, his best friend outside of Al, his wife, all one in the same, had died.

He couldn't remember what it was she had. A sickness of some sort he thought, but it had taken her from him, leaving him alone.

No. That wasn't true. He wasn't alone, that was why Al was so reluctant to leave. There were two children upstairs who no longer had a mother. They had been forced to watch her die, just as he and Al had watched their mother die. This thought brought with it a fresh onslaught of tears and he buried his face in his hands.

He couldn't cry in front of the children. He had to be strong for them. They were so young, he wasn't even sure they really understood, neither of them cried. It was something Al and Mei both worried about, since none of them were showing any emotion and seemed to be distancing themselves from everyone.

He slowly stood up and walked outside and sat on the front porch. Outside he could let loose his emotions. He had been coming out late at night the past week since her death to allow himself just a few moments to let his emotions take over however they saw fit. The night before he had been overcome with insane laughter, and yet, he hadn't thought of anything remotely funny.

Tonight however, the tears wouldn't stop. Within minutes he was overcome with heart wrenching sobs, tears flowing quickly down his face.

"Don't cry daddy..."

Edward froze and spun around to see his son standing in the doorway, tears shining in eyes as golden as his own.

"Daddy please don't cry..." his daughter now, her blue blanket wrapped around her shoulders, one corner being used to wipe away her tears.

"You two should be asleep. I'm sorry if I woke you." he was amazed his voice didn't break.

Andrew walked over, "you still have us, daddy...The three of us can find a new mommy."

A sob broke free from Edward, "you guys..." he turned away from them and wiped away the tears.

"Daddy." Kate walked over rather unsteadily. She was so young, barely able to walk and talk. Far too young to have lost her mother.

"Daddy please laugh again..." Andrew pleaded, tears now falling.

Kate walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck, "daddy, ride us on your back again," she begged.

"Daddy please don't cry..." his son begged, wiping away his tears, "I-I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't cry but..."

Edward felt his blood grow cold, "why would you think that?"

"You don't cry...Big kids don't cry, only little kids do." he sniffed, "a-and you've been so sad since mommy left. You were happy with mommy, so...So if we found a new mommy...M-maybe you wouldn't be so sad..."

'Is that what I've been teaching them? That they aren't supposed to cry? That the way they're supposed to cope with this is to...To hide their pain?'

'Why? Why do children always hurt the worst? Why is this world so damn cruel? It's not right! I didn't want them to feel they couldn't come to me but instead...They feel they have to hide it from me...'

"Come here you two," he said, "adults cry too, you know that. Uncle Al is no little kid, and neither am I. It's how we heal, and we will heal. We all need to move forward. Don't hide the fact that you're hurting, alright?"

Andrew looked up, lower lip trembling, "I...I miss mommy..." he said.

"Mommy..." Kate echoed, burying her face into Ed's shirt and crying into it.

"So do I, kids, I do too..."

"Does...Does this mean we won't be able to play or laugh again?" Andrew asked.

"No, we will, you and Kate will still be able to play and laugh, and everyday it will get easier to do." Edward promised.

"What about you? Will you still laugh? Will you still play with us when you aren't traveling around the world?"

Edward sniffed and wiped at his eyes smiling at his son, "yes, I'll laugh again too. And I won't be traveling. I'll be staying here at home, watching you two grow and play."

"Will you play with us ever again?" Kate asked, her tiny fist grabbing at his shirt.

"Of course I will." he picked up his two small children and walked to the swing in the backyard. It was more of a porch swing with a back and all, but he and Winry had decided, given their children's ages, it was safer for them. He placed them both on the swing and placed Kate's blanket over them both before he began pushing them on the swing. At first he pushed them high, but soon they began to give into fatigue and the swinging got more and more gentle until they were both asleep.

Edward had a smile on his face that he couldn't get rid of, despite the tears threatening to fall. He stopped the swing and picked up Kate and Andrew, "thank you," he whispered. It had been them that pulled him from that depression he had landed himself in. His children, with their one simple request.

Don't Cry Daddy.

(inspired by Elvis Presley song of the same name)

**So, What did ya think? I figured I should post SOMETHING since its been quite a while since the last time. I have like, 85 different fics in motion (No joke) but I am stumped on where to go with them all, so doing little oneshot thingers like this helps me out. Anyway, please review, tell me what you think, and as for the names (if anyone is wondering) the name Andrew has some significance, while the name Kate does not.**

**Anyway, I hope to post something soon, but with school being a pain in my ass, it may be a while. (New school, new program, whole lot more homework)**

**Anyway, peace out y'alls :D**


End file.
